The present invention relates to packaging for holding a plurality of bottles or other like articles. The present invention is particularly adapted for holding a plurality of plastic bottles to be used in the medical diagnostic field.
Plastic bottles when sold in large quantities to bottlers are typically bulk packaged, that is, randomly placed in a shipping container. When these bottles are to be filled by an automatic filling machine, they must be oriented on the receiving table of the filling machine so that the open end is facing in the upward direction. This orientation may be accomplished either manually or by use of an expensive unscrambling device.
In the medical diagnostic field bottles (generally from 1/2 ounce to 8 ounces in size) are filled with a variety of liquid reagents. Typically these glass bottles are packaged solely by the placement of a shrink wrap around a single layer of bottles. A plurality of layers of bottles are placed in a shipping container, one upon the other, with a cardboard sheet between layers. Each packaged layer of bottles is quite flexible and requires a certain amount of care in removing the bottles from the container and placing them on the receiving table of the filling machine. Since each layer is simply placed in the container there is always the possibility that during shipment the bottles may shift within the container possibly cause breakage of the bottles. In dispensing of the bottles onto a receiving table of an automatic filling machine, the shrink wrap and the bottles are slid over the bottom portion of the wrapping. This is generally accomplished by the use of a bar or U-shaped tool to push the bottles over the shrink wrap. If there is a tear or other flaw in the film there exists the possibility of the bottles catching and being knocked over.
Plastic bottles require a certain degree of care when placed on a receiving table of an automatic filling machine. A typical receiving table of an automatic filling machine comprises a rotating table which causes the bottles to funnel down into the entry portion of a filling machine. Since plastic bottles are substantially lighter than glass there exists the problem of placing the plastic bottles onto the rotating table and preventing the bottles from falling over during this operation.
In the medical diagnostic field there also exists the requirement that the bottles be sterilized and maintain such through the bottling operation. The use of an unscrambler or other manual means for orienting the bottles on the receiving table requires extra precautions and/or expense in doing so.
Applicants have invented an improved package and method of packaging and dispensing bottles or other like articles which minimizes or eliminates the problems of the prior art.